The Artilia Incident
by K-417
Summary: Humanity have yet to learn the danger of the markers, have yet to remember and recognize they're effects, The USG has been sent to a mining colony on the edge of UEG space.
1. chapter 1

** kind of an experiment, I wanted to write this as a Post even report type thing, so camera footage logs, notes from observer etc... feed back would be nice...**

* * *

to Dr. Arthur miller

when I spoke to you the other day you where asking about my investigation into the Artilia incident, and expressed an interest in it. as well as the psychological effects of the marker. as you are aware this is the [-text removed-] marker related incident, and you have been fortunate to have access to some of the earlier materials. I think you will appreciate what I have managed to gain for you, I have managed to get you the clearance to some material (provided i clear it with my CO first), there are hundreds of files for me to read and examine, so this will happen over a matter of months.

this is what I can release to you thus far from my investigation.

**- footage fragments post event;** this contains images of a female necromorph, a "spitter"

**-2X personal logs from crew pre event; **giving the general feeling aboard the USG Artilia before the even

currently all I've found of any remote interest thus far is here, there are some other extracts from a variety of similar content, but these seem to be better than the rest.

this information is classified and has therefore had some names, details and sections removed, only you have access to this. needless to say you are aware of the punishment of spreading this information. your research is only to be published to the UEG and CEC BTW civillians are not to be made aware.

yours,

K.J

* * *

**USG ARTILIA security footage**

**Camera 01546| deck B storage room 004**

**27/02/2513 17:42:05**

Desmond opened his eyes. he choked, in-front of him there was a woman's body, surrounded by viscera. he sat still. He was disorientated, and could remember what had happened before he woke up. he knew some details of Himself, His name, his occupation. a look down would have confirmed that he was in his AEGIS rig. he stayed still for what seemed like hours. he gets up unsteadily. and puts his hand down on the counter next to him. the room he was in seemed to be a small store room, on one wall there was a medical locker on one wall and on the bench a short distance from his hand a plasma cutter. he picks it up, unsure what was happening outside of his location.

He briefly looked down at the corpse. he was OK with dead things, But he turned away quickly. the woman's corpse was heavily disfigured torn in half almost with the entire chest cavity exposed, the ribs shattered in multiple places, and there where a few bones Desmond was fairly certain people didn't have. she had been dismembered and her jaw dislocated. Whatever had attacked her wasn't human, Desmond was certain of that.

He tried to raise comms but found that he couldn't connect to anyone. he felt Himself shiver a little, and headed for the door.

**Camera 00534| deck B Corridor 9**

**27/02/2513 17:47:45**

Desmond entered a long corridor it was empty, except the presence of a few plants. Desmond moved out of the room glad there where no more corpses. as he looked around his relief was short lived a short way down the corridor in head of him there was a bloodied hand print on a door shortly down the corridor on one side.

Desmond turns hearing movement behind him. he doesn't see anything and turns back around. a hand grabs his ankle, he turns and steps back simultaneously. on the ground at his feet is the necrotic form of the dead girl from the locker was grabbing at his ankle, Desmond recoils. he stamps at the hand, and put a round from the plasma cutter through the corpse. it stops moving. he continues down the corridor at a faster pace.

the corridor he's heading down quickly deteriorates as he leaves his exit point. soon he was passing areas where panels where loose from the walls circuitry ripped from within, a mix of objects and metal shards very little blood and no corpses.

how had Desmond ended up in a storage room. He would have to find a terminal; find out where these things came from as well.

**Camera 00542| deck B Corridor 8B**

**27/02/2513 17:53:23**

he turned a corner into another corridor. there was someone standing a short distance in-front of him, with they're back to him. "hello" Desmond shouts, raising the plasma cutter to level it at the person in-front of him. "turn around". The person in-front of him is unresponsive. Desmond waits a minute then fires a round into the persons knees. they collapse and did not move. Desmond bent over and examined the body. the throat had been cut. " how on earth where you still on your feet.

Desmond continues to head towards the main elevators.

* * *

**Personal log| 25/02/2513 14:13:33**

**/Cpr Micheal burges (UEG-MAR-3422-021)**

**type: text (extract)**

we've been sent half way across the galaxy to pick up a bloody marker. we're heading for [-text removed-] colony. can't help feeling this won't be an easy job. after all everyone knows about the luck that befell the Ishimura after it picked up a marker; attacked by terrorists, and every colony to come into contact with it since then has been destroyed[1], I can't help feeling that this may end up being the end of us. the crew are worried all except the unitologists they're excited (for lack of a better word), all they want is to be in the presence of a marker, but the rest of the crew aren't so happy. through out the rest of the crew there is a distinct feeling of tension, no one is smiling everyone is getting on.

fortunately we have an additional 500 marines for security purposes; at the captains request, plus some additional scientists for . hopefully that'll be enough to prevent any attacks. everyone's just trying to get along and hang on and make it through till the end of the mission.

* * *

**Personal log| 25/02/2513 17:43:54**

**/Dr Simian Bandura (CEC-SCI-221-034)**

**type: audio (transcript extract)**

[sounds of movement] a few minutes ago the captain announced over the comms that we've lost contacts with [text removed-] colony, apparently It's been down for 4 hours, looks like this may become a rescue mission. still I can't complain I've been busy, getting quite a few patients coming in for injuries, mostly from engineering.

I've been busy working over patients, but felt I should look at the notes on the ishimura incident. it appears that the terrorists may have used some kind of psychological gas or drug to effect the crew before the main incident because there where large numbers of cases of breakdowns and later on suicides and murders. we have yet to experience similar effects so perhaps we are fine for the moment. I can't hide the bad feeling I have about this mission, it's causing all kinds of problems mostly in the crew at the moment but who knows, if an engineer messes up and does something stupid we could all be in danger. of cause as well as everyone else being on edge the unitologists are having a field day, they seem to be working harder than everyone else and are though just as many of them are getting injured as everyone else is.

over all I think this is the busiest few days I will have in service aboard a planet cracker. [sound of movement, indistinct speech]

**/ends log**

* * *

end notes:

[1] as you know this is actually un-true despite UEG's public cover up of a Terrorist attack in both the Aegis incident, and Titan station incident, both insidents where the resultant of markers, both also involving Isaac Clarke as well.


	2. Chapter 2

Dear Doctor Arthur Miller

I've found some more information that may be interesting to you. but first, I cam across something interesting I'm sure your aware of the magpies nest incident (scavengers who recovered the Ishimura, encountering the shards of the marker and being influenced by them), similar incidents have occurred on a minor scale when other's have encountered one of these shards. really I just figured you'd be interested to know that even a small shard can have an effect on an individual or group. in any case none of those are as interesting as this current incident (if you are still interested remind me and i will forward them to you at some point).

for you this time I have:

-** initial recovery of the marker:** consistent to the Aegis VII (video file)

**- audio logs between [-removed-] and recovery squads: **first occurrence of a psychotic episode (+ associated casualty report)

**- post event footage:** following on from the last bit I sent you (Camera's are on a different loop, so it took me a while to find it)

**\\-misc. footage: **from across the USG Artilia; this is some of the footage Desmond viewed after the above entry, Desmond was unable to find anything of him from before the event

**- post event short footage (colony):** some of the only footage I've found of necromorphs colony side

figure these will be enough for you to mull over.

yours

KJ

* * *

**[-text removed-] colony footage  
****Camera 0245| portable camera  
****23/02/2513 12:12:15**

a 4 man squad of miners in mining rigs are heading into a cave, the crew seem reasonably at home. the cave is a new one they have discovered from an old abandoned cave system. the cave seems natural and they continue to move in. they talk to each other, discussing events from colony life. the conversation is maintained for 5 minutes till they came across something intresting.

one of the miners, pointed at some tool, this was unusual they had not been here before and the colony had not sent someone down here before. "tools? what the..? wait those are old, really old that's a laser cutter but we haven't used that model in hundreds of years[1]. this is weird" he attempts to radio to the colony but cannot get through [static buzzing]. they decide to advance into the cave.

as they get further into the cave the camera's visual becomes a little grainy. they continue advancing. as they get further in they observe that the cave looks like it has been cut with machinery, and they eventually came across an old mining vehicle and more tools. the squads began to group together more the camera holder now comming to the front. "so... what do you think this is?" one of the miners asks. "probably an old mining operation . the surface will have been cleaned of when they left, but they don't always bother to clean out the under ground bit. that or this is a prank."

they continued to move on, the cavern was looking more and more man made, as they got farther in they found lamps and generators, and some steel flooring. whatever had been going on her wasn't recent. the generators had stopped working centuries ago and the glass in the lamps was fragile and broken.

about a hundred meters further on away from the main developed area, they came across a red light, the rounded the corner a head of them. " a Marker?... bloody hell it's a marker, the unitologists up top will go mental, we'd better head up and inform command." the squad moves back up towards the entrance to the cave, they're base back is slower.

**\\end of video clip**

note: despite earlier contact with the marker the mining team who discovered it seem not to bear any ill effects immediately and did not become ill until the rest of the colony did I will try to find more on them. from what I can tell they are:

- Thomas Wells

- Morgan Dewar

- Samuel Rain

- Rachel keys

* * *

**audio transmission extract [transcripted]  
****[-text removed-]- recovery squad delta]  
****25/02/2513 12:12:15**

R1: control can you hear us? I want to see if this new array works

CM: your coming through clearly, the relic should be about 300 meters in.

R1: okay,

R2: meanwhile, can you tell us what we're looking for?

CM: you'll know when you see it, you'll come across a load of equipment but ignore that that's of no interest.

R2: so all we need to do is place this beacon near it so you can tunnel to it and extract it.

R1: Weren't you there when we where briefed?

R2: in any case why do you need 2 of use to do this?

CM: in case something goes wrong, it's protocol you should know this by now.

R2: hey what's that? is that an old mining laser?

R1: yeah. yes it is, wow i see what you mean about old tools, that things is at least 200 years old. Come on keep moving we're not here for that.

R2: okay, so your seriously not going to tell us anymore about what we're looking for?

CM: what and spoil the suprise?

[-3 minutes pass-]

R1: okay we've found an old mining vehicle, is that what we're looking for?

CM: no that's not it either, keep looking.

R2: seriously help if you told us what we're looking for

CM: seriously you'll know it when you see it just keep going

[minor static from this point on]

R1: getting a little static on this end, some kind of localized natural disturbance

R2: yeah probably to do with minerals or something?

CM: it's coming through here too. if you lose contact keep going we need that beacon in place

R1: wilco

R2: I can see something up a head, a dim red light?

R1: I'm not seeing anything yet

[-half a minute elapses-]

R1: I see what you mean. control, we have a red light

CM: your almost there

[-minute elapses-]

R1: is... is that a marker?

CM: yeah one of the mining teams found it a few days ago

R2: and this is what we're here for?

CM: yeah, that's what your after, don't mess with it, place the beacons then leave

R1: setting up beacon 1 as we speak

[-3 minutes pass-]

R1: okay that's the three beacons down, will head back.

R1: _miles?[-R2-],_ control I've lost R2

CM: what? where's he gone, when did you last see him?

[-momentary pause-]

R1: not sure half a minute a go or something? he was placing beacon 2

CM: look for him, as soon as you find him get out

R1: wilco, He can't have gone far this is the end of the cave

[- a minute passes-]

R1: i can't see him I'm heading back. what Miles? is that,

[-R1 screams-]

R1: miles? what are you...

[-distinct stabbing noise-]

R2: they want our bodies... they want our bodies, our flesh, our bones,

R2: HUHUHUHAHAHAHAHA...HUHA...HUHA

[-laughing continues for about 10 minutes ocassionally broken by sobbing or cursing and ramblings -]

CM: what's happening? what's going on down they're

[-gurgling from R2-]

**/ end of sound file**

when the marker had been recovered they found the remains of both men, R1 was recovered with a laser axe embedded in his skull and several other Laser blade related injuries. R2 had cut his own throat with a lazer blade as well. R2 had not shown any psychological abnormalities before these events.

* * *

**[2]Incident report:25/02/2513  
****mine D4159  
****_recovery squad delta status: KIA  
_****brief**** incident summary:**

after entering the cave to recover [-text removed from report-]. from audio logs of the event it appears that R2 (miles evans) had a psychotic episode killing himself and R1. this event initially started with R2 disappearing for 4 minutes. when he returned he attacked R1 from behind, surviving the initial attack R1 appears to have turned to confront R2 but was stabbed with a Pick. R2 then continued to exhibit psychotic behavior for another 10 minutes before cutting they're own throat.

some of R2's ramblings involved "them". these entities that R2 expressed seemed to want his physical form or parts of him. this is consistent with psychosis or schizophrenia, though given his age schizophrenia is unlikely.

**Diagnosis:**

R2's psychotic episode is unusual in the fact that recent psychological checks seemed clear. it is likely this stems from childhood trauma, and was probably triggered by something in the cave, most likely either [-text removed from report-], or the old machines here. this is only speculation as the subject is deceased, and little is known of they're past other than career information which doesn't pull any flags. perhaps the subject had a traumatic experience with a Unitologist priest.

some of the subjects ramblings involved "them". these entities that the subject expressed seemed to want his physical form or parts of him. this is consistent with psychosis or schizophrenia, though given his age schizophrenia is unlikely. it could just be from the stress of the job perhaps. there is an on going inquiry into the cause of this incident however it is unlikely to yield more.

* * *

**USG ARTILIA security footage  
****Camera 02542| deck B central elevator hub  
****27/02/2513 18:04:23**

Desmond had reached the elevator hub from here he could reach any deck on the ship, despite being called the "central" elevator it was actually towards the rear so that it could directly access the flight deck and control room. he had yet to encounter another thing and was trying to decide where to go, "I could head to the bridge see if I can find anyone there, or..." he audibly mumbled. as he was mulling over his options a shrill noise; the ripping apart of metal, he turns around a fully formed necromorph slasher is charging at him he fires off a bolt from his plasma cutter severing the outstretched arm of the creature. a second shot obliterates it's head this only aggravates the necromorph which approaches him even more fiercely he fires of several shots one connects with the other arm of the necromorph and it falls. not wanting to allow it another chance atattacking him desmond stomps on its head. " what the fuck? how did that thing survive without a head".

**Elevator Camera 01| Main elevator A  
****27/02/2513 18:10:42**

he heads towards the bridge; there is a security room just off the main bridge, from there he could look at the status of the whole ship. he stood still for the few seconds that it took the elevator to reach the bridge deck, the door opened with a chime. the doors slide open. just outside the door stood a spitter[3] with it's back to him. it hadn't noticed him yet. he carefully aims his plasma cutter at it's head. he pauses then lowers his aim to it's arm. he fires a shot through it's arm, severing it. the Spitter turns around and screams he fires another shot through it's other arm, it collapses. "shooting they're limbs seems to work...

**Camera 0041| Bridge deck central elevator Hub  
****27/02/2513 18:14:00**

he moved from the elevator towards the bridge. on the upper deck there where several "dead" necromorphs, and some signs of corruption beginning to form. Desmond kept up a quick pace trying to avoid being attacked by anymore necromorphs, however most of the ones here looked dead, it was likely that some one had been through here recently. perhaps there is someone alive on the bridge; Desmond would look via a camera when he got to the security room. he wasn't far from the bridge and walk quickly towards it.

the bridge was partially separated from the rest of the ship, the bridge has it's own life support and ventilation systems plus it's own generators. the security room was just outside the bridge module being almost at the doors to the bridge.

**Camera 0001| Bridge deck security room A  
****27/02/2513 18:20:00**

inside the security room Desmond looked around quickly checking the room. on one of the walls there was a compact weapons locker; it didn't look like there was going to be much of use in it. Desmond looked inside the locker " excellent" he says quietly under his breath. after opening the locker; inside are several Divets[4] and a Pulse rifle. Desmond took a couple of the Divets, and the plasma rifle, he also took the meager amount of ammunition available within the security room.

after scavenging for supplies Desmond turned his attention to the monitors and displays he started to work on the screens after confirming His status as a UEG Marine he began flicking through footage from the last day or so. trying to work out what had happened.

* * *

**USG ARTILIA security footage  
****Camera 16005(a)| deck C hangar  
****26/02/2513 00:12:05**

the Marker is being moved of of a goods shuttle by a group of men. a mass of unitologists are being held of by a security squad[5], the marker is placed in a disused bay.

**Camera 16005(a)| deck C hangar  
****26/02/2513 00:45:41**

the unitologist give up and head out of the hangar. after the majority of the crowd have left the hangar the majority of the security leaves. a small amount of distortion sets in after a while.

**\\end of footage**

**Camera 45422| deck f Civilian ****quarters room 45  
****26/02/2513 06:32:02**

a civilian couple lay in bed together. the male wake with a start. he gets out of bed and enters the bath room. he looks in the mirror mumbling something illegible, and opened a medicine cabinet. not finding what he was looking for, he wondered into the kitchen area.

the apartment was furnished simply stylized like an old 20th century Sci-fi personal quarters might look like had they become actuality. with smooth metal surfaces for the most part, adorned with personal belongings and photographs of the couple, they're friends and various relatives.

the woman wakes up sensing the absence of her spouse, she sits up and calls for him to return to the bed. after a few minutes he still hasn't returned, the woman gets up and heads over to him in an attempt to comfort him. the man is rambling quickly, in coherent to the camera. the woman stays back when this started. after a minute of frantic searching the man turned with a knife in hand, the woman steps back uncertainly, then flees for the door,the man follows after her.

**Camera 45410| deck f Civilian ****quarters room set B  
****26/02/2513 06:40:43**

after only a few steps into the hall the woman is caught by the hair, "they want our bodies dear,". the woman screams bringing Various other civilians to the doors of they're rooms. the man brings the knife down into the woman's chest, and again, and again. after a few minutes he stopped, blood and viscera flooded the floor. the crowd had panicked and either fled into they're rooms or stood transfixed in horror, after a minute a security squad arrived; someone in another room had presumable called them. the security squad approached the man with Divots pointed at the man "don't move" one of them barks. the man approaches on of the security guards, the guard pulled the trigger, sending a bullet at 1,200m/s through the mans chest. the sound resonates through the corridor. the man slumped to the floor. a medical team arrived shortly after, already on they're way to collect the female corpse. both corpses are removed.

**\\end of footage  
********Camera 45578| deck F morgue ****  
********27/02/2513 02:25:13**

the morgue is steadily filling with corpses, since the marker was brought on board at-least 100 new cadavers have been brought to the morgue. a Medic is bringing a new corpse into the room. he jumps as something scratches in the vents above him. he stops to listen, not hearing anything more he continues to work. a vent behind him ruptures. he turns in-front of him stands a necromorph a "slasher". the slasher ruptures the man's stomach, dripping viscera over the deck. a infector comes down from the vent afterwards. the Infector systematically infects the corpses in the room. soon all the corpses are infected and have mostly left the morgue.

**\\ end of Footage  
Camera 10232| Deck B Civilian recreational area A  
27/02/2513 12:12:15**

Screaming pierces the air, as civilians run from necromorphs in a variety of forms which have now appeared in mass in several areas of the ship. warnings of infection are blasted through the speakers, the captain announces that several bulk heads are being closed to stem the pandemic.

a woman trips banging her head hard against the floor. she attempts to get to her feet but stumbles, and falls again. before she can attempt to run or crawl away, a Pregnant[6] skewers her on one of it's wide-long blades that made up the bottom half of it's arm. it drops her leaving the corpse for the infectors to re-animate the corpse.

before the first necromorph can reach the door a small security team has appeared they frantically hold of the necromorphs as a bulkhead comes down in-front of them ceiling the necromorphs out.

**Camera 10240| Deck B Corridor 12  
27/02/2513 12:21:51**

the security team who had sealed the bulk head where a man short. They had lost Desmond a while back in a conflict with necromorphs further back on the floor. they quickly moved further into the ship getting commands through from the captain. they moved quickly away from the area.

**/end of log**

* * *

**[-text removed-] colony security footage  
****Camera 2957| corridor 451  
****25/02/2513 18:15:15**

a corpse lays in the middle of the floor, corruption covers the corner of the room a Infector creeps over to the corpse, and converts the corpse into a necromorph, a man in a full minner rig runs past smashing the Infector as he passes. the newly formed necromorph -a puker- grabs the mans ankle as he runs past, the miner falls his chin collides with a deafening thud he tried to crawl away or get up but the Puker wasn't letting go it hauled itself up his legs with broken hands. he started to groan as the creature dripped acid onto him. dissolving his armor and flesh, the same acid was slowly dripping through the torso of the Newly formed Puker. the puker was on top of the miner, the health gauge on his back had dropped from blue to an orange. the man slams his elbow into the Pukers face spraying acid across the floor. he forces it off of him and fires a javelin through it's head pining it to the ground. he applied a med pack to his injuries. he continues to head in the direction he was heading in.

**Camera 2958| corridor 451  
****25/02/2513 18:20:41**

the man stopped abruptly a hundred meters away from the Puker. the door he had been planning to head through was seal shut with corruption. the man punched the door. "fucking excellent" he proceeded to kick the door. he couldn't cut the door free, not without a ripper. he looks at his holo and reprograms the locator to divert him round this door. he heads further up the corridor following the light trail.

**\\end of video**

all i could find from this one so far I'll try to find more of it if possible, i haven't been able to identify this miner ATM. he is one of the several temporary survivors, before the colony was destroyed after the marker was recovered. the necromorphs managed to get on the shuttle BTW, that's how they spread to the Artilia so quickly

* * *

**end notes:**

[1] this makes sense the original [-text removed-] marker was found in 2214, [-text removed-text removed- text removed-] this has long since been destroyed and it is theorized that only a few remain.

[2] removed text is the word marker here and was removed from the original document, before it was released, so i have left it in this state.

[3] a female slasher, named dew to it's defensive mechanisms

[4] a cheap compact civilian hand gun, W/ automatic fire

[5] this squad could contain Desmond, however the footage is not good enough for a definite ID

[6] large necromorph containing several small necromorphs


End file.
